Will Yun Lee to play ‘Wolverine’ villain

Thesp joins Hugh Jackman in Fox's 'X-Men' sequel

Will Yun Lee will star opposite Hugh Jackman as the villain in Fox’s “The Wolverine” sequel, to be directed by James Mangold.

Details of Lee’s Harada character are being kept under wraps Jackman recently revealed that the “Wolverine” villain would be The Silver Samurai. Harada is also the Marvel character’s real name (Kenuichio Harada).

Production is scheduled to begin next month in Australia. Hiroyuki Sanada, Hal Yamanouchi, Tao Okamoto, Rila Fukushima and Brian Tee have also been cast.

Lee has completed the videogame “Sleeping Dogs” set for release in August as an undercover police officer fighting under the Square Enix banner by United Front Games. He also recently starred in the Chinese independent feature “Far Away Eyes” and is portraying the lead villain in MGM’s “Red Dawn” and will appear in Sony’s “Total Recall” remake and Lionsgate’s 3D dance feature “Cobu 3D.”

The original “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” was released in 2009 and grossed nearly $400 million worldwide.

Fox tapped “Knight and Day” helmer Mangold last month to helm the “Wolverine” sequel, three months after Darren Aronofsky dropped out of the film. Christopher McQuarrie wrote the script, which takes place mostly in Japan and is set for a July 26, 2013 release.